Mail box



April l2, 1938. H. B. CARTER MAIL BOX Filed June 14, 1957 e, Mig

ATTORNEY v Patented Apr. 12, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAIL BOX Henry B. Carter, Albany, Oreg.

Application June 14, 1937, Serial No. 148,209

1 Claim.

The invention relates to a mail box and more especially to rural mail boxes.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a box of this character, wherein a cover is so mounted on the body of the box to swing vertically upwardly and rearwardly and when in this position enables the box to have a maximum opening for the introduction of large mail matter or the removal of such matter therefrom, the cover when closed being adapted to afford weather element protection to the contents of the box.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a box of this character, wherein a signal flag is swingingly supported exteriorly on the box and cooperates with the cover so as to move the ag concurrently with the cover when opening the same and thus shifting the flag from a signaling to a non-signaling position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a box of this character, which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and effective in its operation, neat .and attractive in appearance, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features ofconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section of a mail box constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional View on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional View on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the mail box comprises a box-like body I0 preferably made from sheet metal having a front opening I I which extends a considerable distance upwardly into the upwardly arched crown or top I2 of said body so as to assure maximum clearance for the introduction and the removal of mail content from the body, particularly when the mail matter is of considerable size.

Swingingly supported exteriorly of the body Ill is a cover including a straight frontal portion I3 and an upwardly arched top portion I 4, respectively. This portion I4 at opposite ends of the cover has the segmental shaped end wing I5 carrying pivots I6, these being rotatably and slidably engaged in curved slots Il provided in opposite ends I8 of the body Il) and in this manner the cover can swing exteriorly of the body and over the top or crown I2 thereof for the opening of the mail box. The frontal straight portion I3 at opposite ends is formed with flanges I9 so that when the cover is in closed position with respect to the body I0 these flanges will overlap the ends I8 of said body while the top portion III overlaps the crown or top I2 of the said body and thus protects the contents of the mail box from weather elements.

Exteriorly on the frontal portion I3 of the cover is a loop handle 2U for manual opening and closing of the said cover.

The frontal portion I3 of the cover carries a name plate 2l of the user of the mail box.

Eccentrically pivoted at 22 with respect to one of the pivots I6 on one end I8 of the body exteriorly of the latter is a swinging flag stick 23 carrying a signaling flag 24 and this stick is adapted when in signaling position to be brought to rest against a stop pin 25 on the cover when the latter is closed. Now on the opening of the cover the pin 25 moves the stick 23 rearwardly and downwardly to have the same drop by gravity to a non-signaling position as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawing. The flag 24 when in signaling position is in raised relationship to the cover when closed as shown by full lines in Figure 2 of the drawing.

The name plate 2I is preferably covered by glass or other transparent material and is permanently held on the frontal portion I3 in any suitable manner while the name plate is inserted from within the box in position directly rearwardly of the glass or transparent material and by this arrangement the name plate is protected from the weather elements.

What is claimed is:

A mail box comprising a body having a front opening extending a considerable distance upwardly and into a top of said body, a cover slidably and pivotally supported on the body and when in lowered position completely closing said opening, the body and cover being formed with upwardly arched crowning portions, one of said portions overlapping the other when the cover is closed, and a signaling flag pivoted to the body and having contact with the cover for movement thereof to non-signaling position on the opening of said cover.

HENRY B. CARTER. 

